Thanks you lovely bunch of people. I've lost my second character, he's turned all whiny within 200 words, he's annoying me. I'm going to have to rethink him. I want him to be stronger than he is. However maybe he'll develop into a stronger person. Now I'm rambling.
Starting without an end vision
- Thread starter StarFang
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TxRad
Dirty Old Man
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lovecraft68
Bad Doggie
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Have someone bitch slap him and make him a subby.
It works in BDSM.
Or bring in another man and make him a cuckold.
TxRad
Dirty Old Man
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Loving Wives. Just what a budding author needs.
The shark pit first time out.When in doubt, change categories.
It works in BDSM.
This made my morning. It got better with the rest of the, erm, suggestions.
mikey2much
Literotica Guru
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The more you write, the more you know your characters
When I start a story I have a general idea where I want it to go but as I write the characters become their own people and the story changes as I learn more about my characters.
Writing is how you get to know who you are writing about. The more you put on paper the more fleshed out and real the characters become. I get to know them as people and I then can make better decisions for their actions in the story.
When I start a story I have a general idea where I want it to go but as I write the characters become their own people and the story changes as I learn more about my characters.
Writing is how you get to know who you are writing about. The more you put on paper the more fleshed out and real the characters become. I get to know them as people and I then can make better decisions for their actions in the story.
Very few of the things I write just come to me all at once. There are times when I I come up with interesting characters and have to find a way to utilize them and other times I have a middle of the story with great action but have to figure out how those people got together to get to that point.
Stella_Omega
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I have a marvelous ending that's been waiting for a story... waiting for a couple of years now.
Knowing what you want to say is the tough part. I think all stories are unresolved at the start. It is the writing, the flow of character and plot that will resolve your story.
Write with abandon and joy.
Edit with an axe!
Thank you. I was worried a while while. I've been thinking about this idea for so long I know where these characters have been, I know where they are now, I'm not sure where they're going.
They keep reacting differently too. My male and female leads were supposed to be strong and fiery, but that role has been taken over much more by two secondary characters. I'm letting them all do what ever they want for now, they'll figure it out themselves.
LOAnnie2
Really Experienced
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What it comes down to in the end is simple: What works best for you?
There've been many famous works that the authors just started as freewrites and the ending came to them (one of the most famous of these being Fight Club, where the author didn't realize the big twist himself until just before he wrote it near the end). Also many famous works done with the ending in mind and the story written to fit the ending.
There's probably been many works out there that had a beginning in mind, and an end in mind and neither made it into the finished story. Though to combat the possible verbosity that some have described about writing without an ending in mind, make sure you go back and edit it when you are done.
If it helps when you get stuck, I always just try to imagine/fantasize about what's gone on in the story so far--after all, for some authors their lit stories are just fantasies put to words.
There've been many famous works that the authors just started as freewrites and the ending came to them (one of the most famous of these being Fight Club, where the author didn't realize the big twist himself until just before he wrote it near the end). Also many famous works done with the ending in mind and the story written to fit the ending.
There's probably been many works out there that had a beginning in mind, and an end in mind and neither made it into the finished story. Though to combat the possible verbosity that some have described about writing without an ending in mind, make sure you go back and edit it when you are done.
If it helps when you get stuck, I always just try to imagine/fantasize about what's gone on in the story so far--after all, for some authors their lit stories are just fantasies put to words.
Stella_Omega
No Gentleman
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This explains SO MUCH.
TxRad
Dirty Old Man
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Then start the story over with the secondary characters in the lead and see where that goes. They may have a better story to offer.
This (crap - see quote below. No idea how to bump it to the top). I wrote a six chapter 25,000 word erotica novella over the last three weeks and throughout the writing I had very general idea of how I wanted the story to conclude. However, as the story progressed it sort of... came to it's own conclusion, based on the characters and the situation that had developed up to that point.
Basically, the important thing is to;
i) Have fun with what you're writing. If you find it boring or a chore the writing may or may not suffer as a result.
ii) Write consistently.
iii) Don't be afraid to change course with the story. It's all about making the story as strong as possible. For me, I found the conclusion sort of wrote itself based on everything that had happened before that point.
In terms of writing consistently, I've included some pictures of what my drafts looked like as they came together - look at the dates. Every day (or as close to that as I could manage. I was writing the chapters more or less simultaneously) I tried to add as many words as I could. It was tiring and exhausting at first but I actually got used to it towards the end.
http://i.imgur.com/a6xBw.png
http://i.imgur.com/FoZdJ.png
Most importantly, don't be afraid to write complete garbage. Often (for me), getting that first initial draft down is the absolute hardest part of the writing process, and it's often fairly low quality. However, after you have that initial draft down, you can revise to your heart's content in following days and enjoy the new insights, the new perspectives and improve old ideas with any new ideas you have.
Personally, I'm keeping my old drafts because when I write my next novella (aiming for Summer release) I want a reminder of how tiring, gruelling, and ultimately rewarding the entire experience was.
Anyways, hope that helps!
Basically, the important thing is to;
i) Have fun with what you're writing. If you find it boring or a chore the writing may or may not suffer as a result.
ii) Write consistently.
iii) Don't be afraid to change course with the story. It's all about making the story as strong as possible. For me, I found the conclusion sort of wrote itself based on everything that had happened before that point.
In terms of writing consistently, I've included some pictures of what my drafts looked like as they came together - look at the dates. Every day (or as close to that as I could manage. I was writing the chapters more or less simultaneously) I tried to add as many words as I could. It was tiring and exhausting at first but I actually got used to it towards the end.
http://i.imgur.com/a6xBw.png
http://i.imgur.com/FoZdJ.png
Most importantly, don't be afraid to write complete garbage. Often (for me), getting that first initial draft down is the absolute hardest part of the writing process, and it's often fairly low quality. However, after you have that initial draft down, you can revise to your heart's content in following days and enjoy the new insights, the new perspectives and improve old ideas with any new ideas you have.
Personally, I'm keeping my old drafts because when I write my next novella (aiming for Summer release) I want a reminder of how tiring, gruelling, and ultimately rewarding the entire experience was.
Anyways, hope that helps!
Last edited:
jomar
chillin
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Interesting in light of a couple of comments here...the current smut I'm writing formed from a vision about an ending.
But like others have said, write it and let it unfold...it may take care of itself or you may realize a direction you want them to go.
But like others have said, write it and let it unfold...it may take care of itself or you may realize a direction you want them to go.
mynameisben
Half man, half-wit
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It's getting better. I have a few idea's in mind. I'll see what they want to do. I don't want my secondary character's to get it on
That never stopped anybody.
J
JAMESBJOHNSON
Guest
I always know the destination of my stories. What happens tween the hook and the resolution is where the fun and work are.
I'm reading a book about the philosophy of violence, the author warns that you better know what your goal is before you start otherwise youre likely to end up someplace bad. Possession of a goal is also the hallmark of a professional.
I'm reading a book about the philosophy of violence, the author warns that you better know what your goal is before you start otherwise youre likely to end up someplace bad. Possession of a goal is also the hallmark of a professional.
voluptuary_manque
Literotica Guru
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Even if you had an ending in mind there is no guarantee that it's the one you would use. I have that happening frequently. I imagine an end and the characters go off and do something else. Just write for the fun of it. It's easier that way.
Trombonus
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dr_mabeuse
seduce the mind
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I rarely know where a story's going when I start it. I start with a vision of a scene or situation, and just start writing toward it, and almost always it provides its own direction.
There's a theory that there are right-brain writers and left-brain writers. Left-brainers are organized and logical and plot-driven. They like notes and outlines and character cards. Right-brainers like freedom and chaos and work intuitively, not always knowing where the story's going. I just happen to be very right-brain.
There's a theory that there are right-brain writers and left-brain writers. Left-brainers are organized and logical and plot-driven. They like notes and outlines and character cards. Right-brainers like freedom and chaos and work intuitively, not always knowing where the story's going. I just happen to be very right-brain.
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